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NOVEMBER 2021
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‘THE THREE STOOGES’ … FOND CHILDHOOD MEMORIES Stoogefest Party This Month
This month, Mike Hirsch, my contact at the radio station where my show airs, is going to put on his annual “Stoogefest” party. I missed out on the festivities last year because it was postponed because of the pandemic. Every year, Mike gets five or six guys together at his place to eat sloppy joes, have some refreshments, and watch hours and hours of “The Three Stooges.” I’ve been a huge “Three Stooges” fan since I was a kid. In grade school, I’d get up before 6 a.m. every day just to make sure I was sitting in front of the TV when their reruns came on. From 6–7 a.m., our local Chicago station would play three “Three Stooges” episodes back-to-back. I never missed an episode! Every morning, I ate my cereal in front of the TV while I got my laughs on. I’ve grown up a lot since the '70s, but I never outgrew “The Three Stooges” and their slapstick humor. They made shows from 1922 until 1970, including 190 “short subject films” that are my absolute favorites. I’ve seen some of the shorts hundreds of times but Moe, Larry, and Curly still make me laugh. I can’t help but crack up when they start throwing pies in each other’s faces, poke each other in the eyes, or hit their heads with bottles, hammers, and an assortment of other tools and building materials.
hard head) with a sledgehammer and the camera zoomed in on the hammer, squashed flat! Curly made the Stooges who they were. Shemp was okay when he took over for Curly, but I much prefer to watch and remember the Stooges with Curly. Looking back, I think I loved “The Three Stooges” so much because it was a real break from reality. I got to forget all of the things going on in my real life for an hour every morning and lose myself in slapstick comedy instead. Laughing at their shenanigans always brightened up my day. Later on, I saw the same thing in my kids when they watched shows like “Sesame Street” (another favorite of mine from Saturday morning cartoons), “Curious George,” and “Caillou.” The holidays are coming up this month, and for some people, that can mean a lot of stress and pressure. If you’re someone who gets worked up this time of year, I’d highly recommend kicking back with an episode of “The Three Stooges” or another comedy TV show, movie, or book you enjoy. There's nothing wrong with taking a break from reality, even during the holidays! Paul Francetic
Five of my favorite episodes include “Three Little Beers,” where the Stooges head out to the golf course; “Punch Drunks,” where Curly shows off his talents in the boxing ring; “A Plumbing We Will Go,” where the Stooges use
“I’VE GROWN UP A LOT SINCE THE ’70S, BUT I NEVER OUTGREW ‘THE THREE STOOGES’ AND THEIR SLAPSTICK HUMOR.”
their expert plumbing skills to flood a house; “We Want Our Mummy,” where the trio head to Egypt in search of King Rootentooten’s mummy so they can bring it back to the U.S. for a $5,000 reward; and “Micro-Phonies,” where Curly dresses up as an opera singer and lip-syncs the real singer’s recording to get invited to a swanky gathering to perform in front of several people. This particular episode was one of several filmed after Curly had a mild stroke, so he was not in prime form but still hilarious.
As a kid, I got a real charge out of that physical comedy. I still remember how much I laughed the first time I watched Moe hit Curly (who had a notoriously
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FOOTBALL AND THANKSGIVING: A MATCH MADE IN MARKETING HEAVEN
Last year, 30.3 million people tuned in to watch the NFL’s Thanksgiving showdown between the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys. For those Americans (and probably for you if you’re reading this article), football is as essential to Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing — but why? As it turns out, there are two answers to that question. The first is that games have been played on the holiday for almost as long as it has officially existed. Thanksgiving became a holiday in 1863, and just six years later, the third American football game in history was played on it. According to SB Nation, the Young America Cricket Club and the Germantown Cricket Club faced off in that inaugural Thanksgiving game in Philadelphia, and football has been played on Thanksgiving pretty much ever since! When the NFL was founded in 1920, the Thanksgiving game was official from the get-go. The second reason we watch football on Thanksgiving is more about money than tradition. In 1934, a Detroit Lions coach, George A. Richards, decided that in order to attract more fans, his teamwould make a point to always play on Thanksgiving when most people were off work. To sweeten the pot, he committed his radio station (an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network) to broadcasting the Thanksgiving game live on 94 different stations across America.
This idea was a hit from day one! According to Sporting News, the long- unloved Lions “not only sold out the stadium, they also had to turn people away at the gates.” In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys signed on to play every Thanksgiving, too, for similar publicity reasons. Since those early days, football-themed traditions have flourished in American families. Apart from watching games on TV, one of the most popular is organizing a pre-turkey game of family touch football a la the sitcom "Friends." (Its famed episode “The One With the Football” aired Nov. 21, 1996.)
If you’ve never organized a game, this could be your year! To get started, Google “Scott’s Family-Friendly Touch Football” and click the first link.
All It Took Was One Phone Call THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME!
make their life better by reducing a lot of stress and anxiety. There’s nothing like making a battle plan and seeing it through to victory!
I don’t usually make an “I’m Thankful For” list on Thanksgiving, but if I did, you’d be on it. I’m glad you trust me and John to help you and the people you love.
If you’ve sent a friend, family member, or coworker my way for tax help this year, I have two words to say: Thank you .
If you’ve read this far and you know someone with a tax problem but haven’t sent them my way yet, consider this a sign. Now’s the time! It’s easy. All you have to do is pass along my phone number (262-752-6692 ) or email address (FranceticTax@gmail.com ). From there, they can reach out to schedule a free consultation. I’ll draft a proposal for them, and they’ll be a lot less stressed by Christmas.
As you probably know, Francetic Tax Resolution is a small family business. My brother John and I handle everything from my home office. We make all the house calls to clients and do all the negotiating with the IRS and State ourselves. Since we’re just two people, we don’t have the resources to compete with the big guys on advertising. So, I’m not exaggerating when I say referrals from satisfied clients and friends like you keep our business running. It means a lot to me to help small-business owners and individuals in our community. In particular, I love sitting down in my office or at a person’s kitchen table with them and figuring out how to get the IRS or State off their back and
Happy Holidays!
Paul Francetic
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US TAX COURT — KNOW YOUR OPTIONS
When you hear or think about the United States Tax Court, what comes to mind? It probably involves a multimillion-dollar case, yes? Maybe a well- known celebrity or famous person is involved, right? These are the cases that get national headlines on television or over the internet, but Tax Court can be a viable option for even the “regular” taxpayer who cannot get their IRS problem solved using the standard procedures available. I just helped a current tax preparation client file a petition with the Tax Court because I was not able to get their problem resolved with the IRS concerning mortgage interest that was deducted on Schedule A of their 2019 tax return. The IRS thinks they are deducting mortgage interest in excess of the $1,000,000 mortgage cap instituted with the 2018 tax law changes. I faxed documents to the IRS twice proving they are in compliance with the new law because two of their mortgages were sold during 2019, resulting in the value of the mortgages getting reported twice on the required separate 1098 mortgage interest statements submitted to both the client and the IRS. Since the IRS did not respond to my attempts to rectify the problem, my clients were sent a Notice of Deficiency letter. This particular letter gives taxpayers the right to petition the Tax Court within 90 days of the date of the letter, which we did. Now we are waiting for the IRS Chief Counsel in the Appeals Division to contact us to set up a time to discuss the case to see if it can be resolved before having to go to Tax Court to reach a resolution. It will not get to Tax Court. As power of attorney for my clients, I will be able to work with the Appeals Office to get them the documents they need to close the case with no additional tax owed. If the case had to go to Tax Court for resolution, I can recommend a colleague of my mine who is an attorney to represent them. The process for petitioning the Tax Court is easy. There are four pages to complete and submit with the $60 application fee. The great thing about Tax Court is you can have the Section 6662(a) accuracy-related penalties abated completely during the appeals process, no questions asked. So, even if you do owe the additional tax assessed during the examination, it is worth it to file a petition and pay the $60 to wipe these penalties. For example, in my client’s case, there is a $2,225 accuracy-related penalty assessed in addition to the proposed tax adjustment. Even if the IRS was right in this case, the Appeals Office will still wipe out that penalty. I have helped several clients over the years resolve their tax problems in the Tax Court appeals process without having to actually go to court. Over 90% of cases that petition the Tax Court get resolved in the appeals process, so do not be afraid to use this option if it is available to you and you are not getting a resolution using the regular IRS procedures. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or know anyone who may need help resolving a tax problem by petitioning the Tax Court.
EASY PUMPKIN BROWNIES
If you have a hard time choosing between chocolate cake and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, this 2-for-1 treat will knock your socks off. Inspired by TheCookieRookie.com INGREDIENTS
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1 box brownie mix, plus other ingredients listed on box
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6 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp sugar
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1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 can pumpkin purée
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven as directed on the brownie box, then make the brownie mix. Fold in chocolate chips. 2. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin purée, cream cheese, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. 3. Choose your pan as directed on the brownie box. Grease it if needed. 4. Pour half of the brownie mix into the pan and spread evenly. 5. Add the pumpkin mixture to the pan, evenly or in a pattern. Cover with the rest of the brownie mix and spread evenly. 6. Bake as directed on the brownie box, adding 10 minutes to account for the pumpkin. Test for doneness, and when your toothpick comes out clean, cool and enjoy!
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‘The Three Stooges’ ... Fond Childhood Memories Football and Thanksgiving: A Match Made in Marketing Heaven Thank You for Saving My Business! US Tax Court — Know Your Options
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Easy Pumpkin Brownies The Benefits of Positive Relationships
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Connecting with other humans in a positive way is one of the most profound experiences we have. That positivity is one of the greatest virtues — it’s contagious, and engaging in happy relationships with others is extremely important not only for our minds but also for our health.
Longer Lives Studies have actually shown that when people are involved in positive relationships, they live longer. This is likely attributed to decreased stress, as stress can exact a toll on the entire body. Positive relationships can also encourage us to give up negative habits such as drinking or smoking, which cause many health problems and concerns. Healthy habits can help people live longer lives. Quicker Healing Positive people in our lives can distract us from pain, remind us to take medication, be our advocates, and simply reduce stress. And less stress means healing takes place faster. Those who have a support person feel more confident and prepared to undergo surgeries and fight illnesses as well. Boosted Immune Systems It makes sense — people who have less stress have stronger immune systems. During times of high stress, our bodies are more susceptible
to illnesses because our immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. The stress hormone corticosteroid can also lower the number of lymphocytes available to fight infection. However, when we are in a happy and loving relationship, our bodies produce oxytocin, and we are less likely to get sick. Better Physical Shape Being in a positive relationship, especially a romantic one, can provide the motivation to be the best version of ourselves. This includes our physical condition, too! Having a friend or workout partner to encourage accountability and even push us out of our comfort zone a bit at the gym can keep us motivated. Being in a positive, healthy, and happy relationship means we listen to each other, offer advice, openly communicate without judgment, practice respect and trust, and engage in healthy activities together. So, it’s no surprise that positive relationships work wonders for our health and happiness.
GOOD FOR MIND AND HEALTH THE BENEFITS OF POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
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